KANSAS CITY, MO – Back on July 2nd, a Kansas City police officer was shot in the head. He was immediately transported to the hospital where he had emergency surgery. On September 2nd, authorities announced that the officer is now walking and talking unassisted.
Great update: Our officer who was shot in the head July 2 is making tremendous progress in brain injury rehab. In the last week he started walking & talking on his own. And he’s got a message for the people of Kansas City: https://t.co/AcI6WgVJua
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) September 2, 2020
After the surgery, the officer was said to be in stable condition in the ICU and ever since then just kept getting stronger and stronger. He continues to build his strength and his mobility.
A spokesperson for the police department said:
“He has been talking and walking unassisted on his own over the past week. His progress is better than normal, he is on track to be back to Kansas City soon.”
They added:
“He will then go to a local long-term, outpatient rehabilitation facility.”
According to police, the officer is not paralyzed, but he is facing a challenge in rehab because his injury is making it hard for his brain to control the left side of his body.
The spokesperson said:
“The goal of his medical team is to get him ready to get back to work in some capacity down the road after his recovery. Doctors are pleased with his current progress overall, especially with his physical therapy.”
The officer has been at an out-of-state brain injury rehabilitation center and he is anxious to get back to Kansas City where he can be close to family and friends. He said that he appreciates all of the cards, gifts, and visits that he has received, but that he is missing having everyone around him. He is eager to get back to some type of normalcy.
A Kansas City police officer who was shot in the head earlier this month left the hospital and will enter a rehabilitation center. #KansasCity https://t.co/L1N9AvCcAy
— KTVO Television (@KTVOTV) July 24, 2020
The officer was asked what the community can do for him and he said:
“Actions have repercussions, so think twice before you react with violence and treat others the way you want to be treated.”
The family also appreciates and asks for everyone’s continued prayers and support. They said that the community has been a significant part of his healing.
One local mother and her daughter donated the $100 they won a on scratch-off lottery ticket to the officer and his family. The mother, Shetera Sims had only $7 in her pocket when she bought the ticker and won.
She then asked her daughter, Rakiya, how to spend the money and she said:
“We should donate it to the police officer that got shot for his family.”
A beautiful story.
Kansas City police are recognizing a woman who donated some of her last dollars to an officer shot in the head in the line of duty. https://t.co/Ld1P4mh2eL— James (@Jim_roc_ymlaen) July 22, 2020
Sims said:
“I want the officer to know that we’re here for him if he needs us. There’s more people in the community here for him than you can imagine.”
On @fox4kc at 9: A Kansas City woman gives- literally- almost all she has to a @kcpolice officer recovering after being shot in the head. Police paid her back with this @gofundme. that has now exceeded $9K!
What makes this story extra personal for this local mom, coming up! pic.twitter.com/mxewiB40Ml
— Russell Colburn (@RColburnnews) July 21, 2020
The officer was shot when he and other responding officers responded to a disturbance call in which a man was walking around threatening people with a gun. As the officers arrived on scene, the suspect ran and the officers pursued him on foot.
The suspect began shooting at officers and struck one of them in the head. Officers returned fire, shooting and killing the suspect, who was identified as 31-year-old Ky Johnson.
The officer was rushed to the hospital by his fellow officers, which the doctors have claimed were crucial to his survival. Dr. Michael Moncure said:
“Five more minutes and he would not have had a good outcome and probably would not have survived.”
Doctors said that the officer had about a 1 percent change of survival. His family calls it a miracle. The family said in a statement:
“We have seen miracle upon miracle in the past three weeks at Truman. A mere ‘thank you’ seems not enough for a life, but we would like to thank all the staff at the hospital from the bottom of our hearts for the care, compassion, dedication to their callings and everything that was done to make this outcome possible.”
Per request of the family, the officer’s name still has not been released.
Here is another Law Enforcement Today about an officer that was fatally shot in the head:
OSKALOOSA, IA – Officer Ian Andrew Barnhart of the Oskaloosa Police Department (OPD) was determined to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on June 18, according to a press release published by the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
Posted by Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, June 20, 2020
The body of the 23-year-old Officer was discovered after a late-night welfare check by fellow OPD officers at his residence in the 100-block of College Avenue. The body of Officer Barnhart was taken to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an official Autopsy.
According to the MCSO, preliminary investigation determined that Barnhart “passed away as a result of a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.”
Dewayne Walter, Barnhart’s uncle, gave an interview with KCWI in which he described his nephew as a “happy-go-lucky kid” while growing up, and a “multi-sport athlete” in high school. Walter went on to say that Barnhart had always wanted to be a police officer, and that he was studying Criminal Justice at community college when he was sworn in to the OPD in 2018.
Walter said:
“There’s a lot of questions that they’re never going to get answers to, and probably the hardest thing right now for them is not being able to have that closure.”
The OPD released a statement on Facebook saying that they were “heart-broken as a Department.”
Never forget officer down. Oskaloosa Police Department (OPD) Officer Ian Andrew Barnhart died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on 18Jun20. @cov_Gretchen @Beard_Vet @TJHproject @GLFOP @WhitehallPD @ColumbusPolice pic.twitter.com/XTr0l0H3QV
— proud veteran from a family of soldiers🇺🇸 (@willo1246) July 11, 2020
Officer Barnhart’s death comes in the wake of massive backlash against police all across the country.
There is a fear that this added pressure will cause an uptick in the already very high suicide rate of police officers in America.
According to Blue H.E.L.P, a non-profit that tracks police suicides, 228 officers died as a result of suicide in 2019. Alternatively, 132 officers were killed in the line of duty in 2019.
Barnhart’s uncle encouraged those experiencing difficulty to reach out for help:
“Talk to somebody. You can’t reiterate that enough. If you’re having issues, no matter who it is, call. Talk to somebody.”
We thank the Iowa State Police Association and stand with the Oskaloosa Police Department to make sure no officer is ever alone. Please #MakeTheCall 1-800-COPLINE #CopLine #Resiliency #NoStigma #NoJudgement #Confidential #StopSuicide #EndSuicide #LawEnforcement #EndSuicide pic.twitter.com/lpg79XZSFT
— COPLINE (@COPLINE__) June 24, 2020
According to his obituary, Officer Barnhart leaves behind parents, stepparents, grandparents, and siblings. Additionally, he is survived by many extended family members and friends.
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